Gandhi Katha
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Gandhi Katha Written By : Umashankar Joshi Translated by : Divya Joshi Published by: Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal – Gandhi Book Centre 299 Nana Chowk – Tardeo Road, Mumbai 400 007 Printed by : Jitendra T Desai Navajivan Mudranalaya Ahmedabad 380 014 (INDIA) Gandhi Katha THE CAMPHOR LAMPS (KAPOORNA DIVA) When someone in Bengal requested a message from Gandhiji, he said four words in Bengali: ‘ Amar Jivani Amar Vani ’- My life is my message. That means, he wished that his message should be found in his work and practice, rather than just in words. The purpose of presenting incidents of Gandhiji’s life here, in the form of a ‘ Gandhi Katha’ , is to focus on several scattered incidents of his life in order to introduce ourselves to the manifestation of different levels of greatness of his life. Each of these incidents represents and brings out various powerful aspects of his grand personality. Each incident is a camphor lamp. It would be worth the effort if such a lamp provides and creates a special vision of the magnificent and beautiful life image of Gandhiji, which he generated and carved out from each and every moment of his life, before it extinguishes. One may try to arrange these incidents, as those of fearlessness, truthfulness, Ahimsa, and so on, thus arranged together in different groups. But, a single incident may cover fearlessness and Ahimsa both. That is why they are not divided in such groups here. Incidents can also be given in chronological order. But, then a question might be raised in our mind that, why in between incidents of few years are missing. So such order is again not necessary, because, it is not our purpose here to give complete chronology of his life. Hence, they are presented here as they were being written and published in ‘Sanskriti’, in the anniversary year 1969 of Gandhiji, from January to October. Gandhiji, in his life was always extremely keen on ascertaining the facts and details of any event and happening. Therefore, I have made best of my efforts to check out the facts in each and every case. www.mkgandhi.org Page 2 Gandhi Katha I have used Bapu’s own writings for choosing the incidents. In addition to that, I have used ‘Madevbhai’s Diary’ parts 1-9, the books of Ravjibhai Patel, books of Kakasaheb Kalelker and Manuben Gandhi, ‘ Jivannu Paroth ’ by Prabhudas Gandhi, ‘Reminiscences’ of Ramdas Gandhi, and ‘Gandhiji and Rashtriya Pravruti’ by Shankarlal Banker. I am grateful to all these authors. Thanks are also due to the publisher of Gandhiji’s books- the Navajivan Prakashan Mandir and also the other publishers of the books by Mahadevbhai and Manuben. Also, some incidents I have received from some individuals. For this, I would like to express my special thanks to Smt Vijyaben Pancholi, Smt Prabhavati Narayan and Smt Madalsa Narayan. Umashanker Joshi Kulpatinivas, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad- 380 009 Gandhi anniversary day: 2-10-1969 www.mkgandhi.org Page 3 Gandhi Katha (1) Little Mohan was very scared of going alone in the dark. He would imagine ghosts coming from one direction, thieves from the other and serpents from the third. Once, he had to go out alone in the dark. But, how could it be possible? He was very timid. Their house maid Rambha, was standing just by his side. She told Mohan quietly, “Mohan, why are you so scared? Whether it is dark or whatever, just recite the Rama Nama and go ahead; no one can do any harm to you whatsoever. Mohan was soon convinced and he went forward. From that very moment Mohan not only repeated the Rama Nama all the time, but it carved out a permanent place in his heart. Rama Nama made him so fearless that, later he showed the forty crore Indians and also the whole humanity, the way to live fearlessly. Even at the last moment of his life, Rama Nama was there on his lips. (2) Sevagram ashram had just started. Children would come from nearby villages to learn spinning and carding and they earned some money too by the evening. They would come in the morning and go back in the evening. Once, before going to sleep Gandhiji asked Vijya, “What happens about the afternoon meal for those children?” Vijya used to go to the well every afternoon, to wash a bucket of clothes of Ba, Bapu and herself. The children also used to come there around the same time at the bank of the well for their meal. So, she knew about their meals and sometimes she would even ask them: What is there for meal today? Children would answer: Bhakhari- shak (wheat flour cake and vegetable). Vijya informed all these to Bapu in detail. Bapu asked, “Do we have extra butter milk?” www.mkgandhi.org Page 4 Gandhi Katha Vijya answered, “Yes.” Bapu immediately said, “Then serve Butter milk to those children from tomorrow.” Vijya accepted this responsibility. After three days, Bapu asked Vijya before going to bed: “Vijya, are you giving Butter milk to children?” Vijya replied, “Bapu, I forgot that. I am sorry.” Bapu just hesitated a bit, and then told her with affection, “No, You have not forgotten. You are not forgetful. You do all my work very meticulously. When I go for my walk, the sandals are nicely cleaned and arranged. Stick is also kept in its place. Your nature is not of the kind to forget things. But, shall I tell you? You do all my work, and you never forget anything, that is because I am a ‘Mahatma’, is it not? We always tend to do the work of big people properly. But, these are small, strange children and so we forget their work. But, let me tell you that it does not matter if you forget my work. If you do their work with extra care and attention, that will give me the utmost satisfaction.” (3) A boy was roaming around in Sevagram Ashram. Vijya saw him and asked his whereabouts. The boy said, ‘My name is Somo. I have lived in Sabarmati ashram earlier. Now I want to stay here in this ashram.’ Vijya took him to Bapu. Bapu recognised him. He was a Harijan boy. Bapu told Vijya to let him stay at the Ashram, and instructed her to give him some work and to look after him. Somo had come from the Faizpur Congress session directly, having absolutely nothing with him. He was merely wearing a half Pant and Bandi (jacket): that’s all he had. Vijya arranged for his meal and one carpet to sleep. Mother Kasturba provided a blanket for a cover. www.mkgandhi.org Page 5 Gandhi Katha It was Sunday. Bapu would observe silence from Sunday night till the evening of Monday. At night, before going to bed, Bapu gestured with his hand indicating height of a small boy and thus asked the details of Somo. He shook his head, moved his eyes, and through bodily gestures wanted to know how he was. Vijya detailed Bapu with all the arrangements. She tried to convince Bapu about his well being. But Bapu put her hand on her shoulder and suggested, “let us go there”. He would not be satisfied otherwise! He had to verify for himself the comfort of the little child, so he would personally go and check. They went and saw that Somo was peacefully sleeping in the Verandah, comfortably covering himself. Bapu took Vijya inside the room and stood near a bundle hanging on the wall. He then instructed her to take it and open the same, again through his gesture. Then he sat down and started searching for something. The bundle contained old and used loin-clothes of Bapu. He took a heap of folded clothes and got up. Then he went to Verandah and removed the cover from his face. Somo was fast asleep. Bapu lifted his head, placed a pillow of folded clothes below the head of the child, covered him again properly and then he went to sleep. Somo was fast asleep. He was under the care and comfort of the Mahatma, who had showered his affection in the form of the pillow. (4) In 1922, Gandhiji was sentenced to six years imprisonment by the British Government. He told in the court that I am ready for the highest possible punishment. What is a crime according to the Government is nothing else but only my duty towards humanity. I have just acted accordingly. The news of Gandhiji’s statement and the penalty he demanded, reached all corners of the country. On hearing the news, a Muslim watchman residing in a remote village of Bengal wept. A revolutionary named Shri Datt, who lived in his building, asked the reason of his crying. www.mkgandhi.org Page 6 Gandhi Katha The watchman had the Bengali news paper in his hand, in which the news of Gandhiji’s case had appeared. He told Datt that a person of my own caste has been severely punished. It is six years of jail, he is an old man of 53 years, see this paper. It was mentioned in the news paper that, Gandhiji described his job as a weaver and farmer. The Muslim watchman was a weaver by caste. He was deeply touched therefore, that someone of his own has been punished. Shri Datt writes in his reminiscences, ‘How do we call ourselves revolutionary? It is only Gandhiji who is a revolutionary in a true sense and not us. He has become one with the whole nation. Gandhiji’s utterance as weaver and farmer must have reached throughout the nation.